Hairy Mushroom

[kparton]

I got my first Hairt Mushroom Coral this weekend and it loks great. I was wondering about my placement in the tank and if there is such a thing as too much light and flow. My tank specifics are below, keep in mind I have the lights and ballasts installed to double this lighting, all I have to do is flip the switch when it's necessary (i.e. I feel confident enough for more challenging corals) This mushroom rock now rests on the bottom in plain view of the lights. Also, the current seems to lift up the edge of the mushrooms occassionally.

50g
75lbs Live Rock (Fiji)
10lbs Live sand
40lbs Caribsea Aragonite
1 8000K 96W VHO
1 8000K 96W Actinic
Prizm Skimmer
2 Rio 800 Powerheads
RO/DI Water only
Ammonia and Nitrites 0
Nitrates ~2.5
Calcium ~400

Dose Calcium Daily
Weekly Strontium, Mg, Iodine
Buffer as needed

1 True Perc (2 months in the tank)
1 Banggai Cardinal (just added)
20 Blueg leg hermits
20 Scarlet Leg Hermits
1 Coral Banded shrimp
1 Sally Lightfoot
3 Emerald Crabs
20 Turbo Snails (no problem with the crabs and snails for about 2 months now)

I am worried that I may have the mushrooms in too much current as they haven't opened fully. It's been 2 days and they open somewhat, but I thought maybe they shouldn't see much current or they will not be healthy. Just wanting to make sure. Also, should I turn on the other half of my lighting as well?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[AnotherGoldenTeapot]

Mushrooms don't need much light and they do best in lower flow areas of the tank.

 

[Mouse]

I usually tend to save the best places for the more demanding corals, try to designate areas of high intensity lighting and water flow for the Brains, torches etc. Then once you have these key areas marked out in your head you kinda fit the mushrooms and polyops around them.

 

[gka]

I have hairy mushrooms in several locations in my tank. The ones doing the best are in dim lighting and lower flow. They do like some water movement - just enought to see. The mushrooms in dim light really expand the ones in bright light don't seem to expand as much.

 

[micagreenmachine]

Mine seem to do well anywhere and EVERYWHERE in my tank... They are starting to multiply like weeds. I may have to start pruning some of them out of there.

They like lower light levels, but will adapt to higher levels given time. They don't particularly like really strong currents, but they definitely like some good water motion.

Once adapted, they grow like WEEDS!

~Todd